Automatic stop gauge for power means

ABSTRACT

A rotational unit mounting a plurality of stop gauges and connected to the ram of a power brake and intermittently advanced by the ram each time the same retracts after performing a bending operation on a sheet metal member, thereby replacing the stop gauge that had been in operative position with the next stop gauge on the rotational unit so that the same serves as a stop gauge for the next position of the metal member prior to the next bending operation on the metal member.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Donald F. Murdoch 5441 S. Norwalk Blvd. No. 8, Whittier, Calif. 90601 [21] Appl. No. 837,414 [22] Filed June 30, 1969 [45] Patented July 13, 1971 [54] AUTOMATIC STOP GAUGE FOR POWER MEANS 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 72/22, 72/36, 72/D1G. 21 [51] Int. Cl B2lj 7/26 [50] Field of Search 72/21.22, 30, 36, 23, 24, 27, DIG. 21; 83/163, 247,254, 393, 394, 395, 467

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,669,276 2/1954 Humphrey 72/455 2,782,831 2/1957 Todd. 72/23 2,797,724 7/1957 Walldow 3. 72/22 2,077,407 4/1937 Glasner 72/23 2,426,446 8/1947 Funk 72/36 2,429,387 10/1947 Buchheim .1 72/461 804,793 11/1905 Chard et a1v 33/185 Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Michael J. Keenan Attorney-Hyman Jackman ABSTRACT: A rotational unit mounting a plurality of stop gauges and connected to the ram of a power brake and intermittently advanced by the ram each time the same retracts after performing a bending operation on a sheet metal member, thereby replacing the stop gauge that had been in operative position with the next stop gauge on the rotational unit so that the same serves as a stop gauge for the next position of the metal member prior to the next bending operation on the metal member.

AUTOMATIE STOP GAUGE FOR POWER MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to metal working tools generally, and more particularly to ramor head-operated means of power brakes for automatically positioning a complement of different stops in gauging position as the brakes operates.

An object of the invention is to provide automatic stop gauge means of the character above referred to which may be preset for repeated sheet-bending operations as the brake performs the same, thereby obviating the need for manual reset of the stops. The operation of brake machines carrying out plural bending operations on a sheet metal member is, thereby, materially speeded.

The predominant features of the present invention reside in simplicity of operation of a progressively shiftable gauge device, and especially one that employs the recovery movement of the brake ram to effect such shift of the gauge stops intermittently with the work-bending movement of the die carried by the ram.

The applicant has no knowledge of comparable ram-advanced means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A conventional power brake 5 is fitted with a fixed die 6 and has a power-reciprocated head or ram 7 which carries a bending die 8 that cooperates with the die 6 to bend or otherwise form a portion of a sheet metal member 9. The operation may be automatic or operator controlled. According to the invention, a gauge device 10 is disposed inward of the dies 6 and 8, a plurality of stop gauges 11 of different lengths are mounted on said device, and means 12 operatively connects the ram 7 and said device 10 to automatically feed the latter upon each return of the ram and the bending die 8 carried thereby to retracted position relative to the fixed die 6, such feed of the device 10 successively positioning the stop gauges 11 to provide successively different locating positions of the sheet metal member being operated on by the dies of the brake.

This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description, which is based on the accompanying drawing. However, said drawing merely shows, and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a partly broken side elevational view of automatic stop gauge means according to the invention and shown in mounted position on a power brake.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view as taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the gauge means in a successive position relative to the position of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a similar view of the gauge means in another successive position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT It will be understood that ordinarily two transversely spaced gauge devices 10 would be required and that the following description of the one shown is deemed sufficient to describe the other also.

The fixed frame or body 15 of the brake may serve to mount a rearwardly directed support bracket 16 that may be heightadjustable relative to the die face 17 of the fixed die 6. The gauge device 10 is mounted on said bracket 16, preferably in a manner enabling front-to-rear adjustment. The ram 7 is preferably provided with a fixed rearwardly projecting bracket 18. In this case, the die face 17 of the fixed die 6 and the cor responding die face 19 of the movable die 8 are designed to form the edge portion of the sheet 9 so as to be bent at right angles, or another angle according to the design of the die faces 17 and 19, to have a first bent portion 9a when one stop gauge 20 is in stop position; to have a second bent portion 9b that includes the portion 9a when a second stop gauge 21 is in stop position; and to have a third bent portion that includes both bent portions 9b and 90 when a third stop gauge 22 is in stop position.

While the drawing shows but three sheet-stopping gauges, three or more may be provided, the number depending on the type and form of the bends. Of course, the same need not be right-angle bends, as shown.

The gauge device 10, in addition to the plurality of stop gauges 11, comprises a bearing member 23 adapted to be adjustably fastened to the bracket 16, as by one or more screws or bolts 24, a rotational shaft 25 mounted in said bearing member and disposed in parallelism with the die 6, and a stop gauge mounting disc 26 affixed to said shaft to turn therewith and disposed on one side of the bearing member 23. In this case, the disc 26 comprises a pair of spaced plates 27. The mentioned plurality of stop gauges 1 l is disposed between said plates 27, as shown in FIG. 2. Those gauges which in stop position do not have an overlapping engagement with the die 6, are fixedly secured by pins 28 in position between the disc plates 27, and at all times are held in radial position on he disc. In this case, the stop gauges 21 and 22 are so affixed to the disc. Any stop gauge, as the gauge 20, is pivotally mounted on a pin 29, is held in stop position as by a stop pin 30, and is adapted to swing upwardly on the axis of pin 29 in the direction of the arrow 31 upon retractive movement of the ram 7, as will later be described.

The stop gauges 20, 21 and 22 may be of different lengths, as shown, so their respective stop heads 32, 33 and 34, with relation to the axis of shaft 25, are successively in predetermined stop position. Each stop gauge, in this instance, is shown as having a mounting body 35, a stem 36 threadedly mounted in each respective body 35, and means such as a locknut 37 to lock the predetermined stop position of each stop gauge. The holes 38 shown in the disc plates 27 provide for mounting different numbers of stop gauges, as desired.

The feed means 12 is shown as a plate 39 freely mounted for free rotation and on the side of the bearing member 23 opposite to the disc 26, a spring-biased pawl 40 carried by said plate 39, a ratchet wheel 41 afiixed to shaft 25 and operatively engaged with the pawl, and a link 42 interconnecting the plate 39 and the bracket 18 on the ram 7. A hub 43 extends through the bearing member 23 and through the plate 39 to provide a bearing for the latter, and connects said ratchet wheel 41 with the disc 26 so they rotate together.

It will be clear that, upon each retractive (upward) movement of the ram, the same will pull link 42 and effect a partial rotation of the plate 39, thereby causing the pawl 40 to advance the ratchet wheel according to the rotative movement of said plate. The respective arrows 44 and 45 show the direction of ram movement and plate 26 and ratchet wheel advancement that effect shift from one stop gauge to the next. During such movement, when the stop gauge 20 is in stop position, as shown, with its head 32 overlapped on the die 6, said gauge 20 will swing in the direction of arrow 31 as the disc 26 turns so it can move past said die. The next time said stop gauge 20 moves toward stop position, it will become overbalanced on its pivot 29 and come to rest on the stop pin 30. While the return of the stop gauge to radial extension when reaching stop position may be under gravity, light biasing springs may be employed for this purpose. Also, a suitable stop 46 to limit the swinging movement of stop gauge 20 may be provided as needed, it being clear that during a full rotation of the disc 26, the stop gauge swings between the stop pins 30 and 46.

There may be times when the brake will be operated without any sheet metal member to be acted on, such times being dependent on the number of bending operations to be performed during a cycle of operation of the gauge device ll). Thus, at any time it is necessary to move the disc 26 to replace a position that has no stop gauge by one that has, a dry operation of the brake, as above indicated, will be performed.

It will also be understood that adjustability of the connec tion means 12 may be provided so that the feed increment of the device it) may be adjusted for the number of stop gauges used and for other reasons.

It will be clear that the operative (downward) movement of the ram 7, through the link 42, causes recovery movement of the plate 39 and the pawl 4l2 carried thereby, while the gauge unit is retained in set position by a detent 47.

The power brake represents any metalworking tool pro vided with a fixed die and a movable member provided with a die cooperating with the fixed die to act on a workpiece. The present stop gauge may be provided in such a tool for locating the workpiece relative to the dies and with means to operate the same by movement of the movable member.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Automatic stop gauge means for power brakes and the like and which are provided with a fixed die mounted in the machine and a cooperating movable die, the latter being carried by a ram movable toward and from the fixed frame of the machine, said stop gauge means comprising:

a rotational disc mounted on an axis rearward of the dies,

a plurality of radially disposed stop gauges mounted on said disc, at least one of which varying in length relative to the others, and each having an end stop face,

means connected to the ram to intermittently rotatively advance the disc in one direction to successively advance and position said stop gauges relative to the dies, whereby said stop faces, successively, are disposed in positionlimiting engagement with a workpiece disposed between and adapted to be operated on by said dies,

at least one of the stop gauges being of such length that when in workpiece-limiting position, the end thereof having the stop face overlaps the fixed die, and

a pivotal mount for said one stop gauge on which the same is adapted to swing out of its radial disposition and clear of said fixed die upon rotative advance of the disc.

2. Automatic stop gauge means according to claim 1, in which the disc is provided with stops to limit the swinging movement of said pivotally mounted stop gauge.

3. Automatic stop gauge means according to claim 1 in which the means to intermittently advance the disc comprises:

a ratchet wheel fixedly connected to the gauge-mounting disc and coaxial therewith,

a coaxial plate rotational independently of the ratchet wheel and disc and mounting a pawl in operative engagement with the ratchet wheel, and

a link connecting said coaxial plate with the ram of the brake, whereby reciprocative movement of the ram, to project and retract the movable die alternately, intermittently advances the disc.

41. Automatic stop gauge means according to claim 3 in which the ratchet wheel and paw] are arranged so the latter advances the former only during retractive movement of the ram and the die mounted thereon. 

1. Automatic stop gauge means for power brakes and the like and which are provided with a fixed die mounted in the machine and a cooperating movable die, the latter being carried by a ram movable toward and from the fixed frame of the machine, said stop gauge means comprising: a rotational disc mounted on an axis rearward of the dies, a plurality of radially disposed stop gauges mounted on said disc, at least one of which varying in length relative to the others, and each having an end stop face, means connected to the ram to intermittently rotatively advance the disc in one direction to successively advance and position said stop gauges relative to the dies, whereby said stop faces, successively, are disposed in position-limiting engagement with a workpiece disposed between and adapted to be operated on by said dies, at least one of the stop gauges being of such length that when in workpiece-limiting position, the end thereof having the stop face overlaps the fixed die, and a pivotal mount for said one stop gauge on which the same is adapted to swing out of its radial disposition and clear of said fixed die upon rotative advance of the disc.
 2. Automatic stop gauge means according to claim 1, in which the disc is provided with stops to limit the swinging movement of said pivotally mounted stop gauge.
 3. Automatic stop gauge means according to claim 1 in which the means to intermittently advance the disC comprises: a ratchet wheel fixedly connected to the gauge-mounting disc and coaxial therewith, a coaxial plate rotational independently of the ratchet wheel and disc and mounting a pawl in operative engagement with the ratchet wheel, and a link connecting said coaxial plate with the ram of the brake, whereby reciprocative movement of the ram, to project and retract the movable die alternately, intermittently advances the disc.
 4. Automatic stop gauge means according to claim 3 in which the ratchet wheel and pawl are arranged so the latter advances the former only during retractive movement of the ram and the die mounted thereon. 